1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gambrels, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved gambrel construction which is of a lightweight and collapsible design.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of animal supporting gambrels is known in the prior art. More particularly, Gambrels are used to hang an animal in a suspended position to facilitate skinning, butchering, and the like. A good example of a prior art gambrel is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,030,683, which issued to R. Roskopf on June 25, 1912. The Roskopf device is of a telescoping design and includes hooks at opposed end of the telescoping member. A centrally positioned hook is utilized to hand the gambrel in a desired location, with the end hooks then being utilized to hang the animal thereon.
A more modern gambrel design is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,030, which issued to F. J. Varner on June 16, 1964. The gambrel shown in this patent includes means for alternatively holding the animal by its feet or by its head, and is substantially more complex in construction than the above-discussed Roskopf device. Further, the Varner gambrel provides no means for adjusting the width of the leg holding members associated therewith.
As can be appreciated, both of the above-discussed gambrels are functional for their intended use. They are representative of a far larger number of patents which have issued regarding game holding devices, with minor patentable differences being obvious in each of the prior art patents. While numerous gambrel designs are available, none of the prior art gambrel devices are of a lightweight, collapsible design which would facilitate their storage and carrying by a hunter in the woods. As such, it could be appreciated that there is a continuing need for new and improved gambrel designs which would facilitate their use by a hunter in the field without undue burden, and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.